PITTSBURGH — So one game into the season, one loss into the season, and we really don’t know very much more about the Rangers than we did before they were defeated 3-2 last night by the Penguins.
They were neither dreadful nor impressive; neither particularly strong on the puck nor steadfast in their own zone. They created offense off the rush only sporadically and pretty much only when the Brandon Dubinsky-Marian Gaborik-Vinny Prospal line was on the ice.
The Blueshirts competed for loose pucks, but didn’t win enough of the battles. The power play went a feeble 0-for-4. And there were simply way too many odd-man rushes against Henrik Lundqvist, the counter-attacks most often a result of carelessness.
“I thought at times we were good and at other times we were shaky,” said newly named alternate captain Ryan Callahan. “We have to tidy it up and be more consistent, not have the letdowns that we had in this one.”
The killer letdown last night comprised a four-minute stretch just past the midway point of the second period after a span in which Marc-Andre Fleury stoned Prospal on a two-on-one then managed to get his right pad on a Gaborik power play breakaway backhand to keep the score at 1-1.
Given a reprieve by their goaltender, the Penguins took a 2-1 lead at 12:25 when Sidney Crosby scored from in front after a Pittsburgh three-on-one had gone awry. Just over a minute later, Tyler Kennedy’s deflection at 13:33 made it 3-1 after Artem Anisimov was beaten on a one-on-one along the boards.
“We gave that third goal to them,” said coach John Tortorella. “We needed to score when we had our chances, and when we didn’t, we got ourselves into a little bit of a hole.”
Gaborik was everything he was expected to be — no, he didn’t bury the breakaway, but let’s not quibble — in jumping into holes and creating opportunities with those soft, lightning hands. It was his goal from the slot at 5:56 of the third that brought the Blueshirts within one.
Matt Gilroy, the 25-year-old rookie, was effective. Michael Del Zotto, the 19-year-old freshman, not so much. Michal Rozsival was horrendous. Wade Redden, relieved of power play responsibility, was strong in his one-on-one work along the boards and in the corners. Marc Staal got a fair amount of time on the point last night, paired with Gilroy while Del Zotto and Ales Kotalik — invisible at even-strength — formed the pair on the other power play unit.
“We need to get offense out of Staal,” said Tortorella. “I want to use him back there to get that out of him.”
Chris Drury, who scored the first goal by sniffing in front, did not play on the Rangers’ two power plays in the second period, his spot taken by either Anisimov or Enver Lisin. If Drury is not going to be used down low on the power play, his opportunity to contribute offensively would seem limited.
Then again, it was the first game and only the first game. Tonight, Ottawa is at the Garden.